Roll cleaning apparatus for papermaking machines and the like

ABSTRACT

A solvent is metered onto the upper portion of a cylindrical surface while said surface moves at a rapid rate of speed due to its rotation about an axis. The solvent is uniformly distributed along the extent of said surface in all directions to form a continuous film of desired thickness for loosening foreign material carried by said surface. The solvent film is maintained on the moving surface through a segmental arc and is then separated from said surface together with the then loosened foreign material.

United States Patent 1 Werner 1 1 ROLL CLEANING APPARATUS FOR PAPERMAKING MACHINES AND THE LIKE [75] Inventor: Charles E. Werner, Chillicothe,

Ohio

[73] Assignee: The Mead Corporation, Dayton,

Ohio

[22] Filed: Apr. 29, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 32,855

[52] U.S.Cl. 15/256.51

[51] Int. Cl D21g 3/02, D21g 3/04 [58] Field of Search 134/6, 9, 21, 32,

[56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 1 2,289,686 7/1942 Sooy 118/70 1,293,185 2/1919 Perry et a1. 34/85 X 2,366,198 1/1945 Kresse et a1. 118/260 X 2,551,601 5/1951 Hughson 15/2565] X 1 1 Dec. 25, 1973 2,704,029 3/1955 George l5/256.51 X 2,909,150 10/1959 Ungerer... 118/260 X 3,097,597 7/1963 Visser 118/260 X 3,408,934 11/1968 Clausen 101/425 2,083,042 6/1937 Storck 118/260 X 2,311,761 2/1943 Kottmann et a1. 15/256.51 X

2,163,529 6/1939 Storck 118/260 2,533,574 12/1950 Gerlach 118/260 X Primary ExaminerLeon G. Machlin Attorney-[win V. Gleim, Edward M. Tritle and Frank M. Crawford [57] ABSTRACT A solvent is metered onto the upper portion of a cylindrical surface while said surface moves at a rapid rate of speed due to its rotation about an axis, The solvent is uniformly distributed along the extent of said surface in all directions to form a continuous film of desired thickness for loosening foreign material carried by said surface. The solvent film is maintained on the moving surface through a segmental arc and is then separated from said surface together with the then loosened foreign material.

4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures ROLL CLEANING APPARATUS FOR PAPERMAKING MACHINES AND THE LIKE BACKGROUND The present invention relates to cleaning apparatus and, more particularly, to improved apparatus for applying liquid onto and/or cleaning foreign material from a cylindrical surface while it is moving at a rapid rate of speed.

In the interests of enhancing productivity, increased speed of operation is generally an extremely desirable goal. However, in many instances the speed at which certain production processes can be effected is often limited not by limitations of the process itself but by secondary adjuncts thereto. For example, in the field of papermaking a paper web can be passed through the several portions of a papermaking machine, coater, or the like at a very rapid rate of speed but the speed is frequently limited by other considerations such as the rate at which the various rolls or other portions of such machines can be cleaned and foreign material removed therefrom. Heretofore, doctor means have been employed to remove miscellaneous matter from the surfaces of rolls of such machines, and water spray means have been employed to loosen such matter prior to its removal from the roll surface by the doctor means. Additionally, various types of fibrous and/or porous materials have been employed in moistening devices for transferring liquid onto a surface by capillary action.

However, such moistening devices and/or methods which depend on capillary action are not suitable in papermaking and/or coating operations due to their inability to supply liquid to rolls employed in such operations at the rates and quantities required. Similarly, employment of spray means presents difficulties concerning nomuniform wetting of the roll surface and/or liquid being thrown from the roll surface particularly at high surface speeds.

SUMMARY It is a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved means for overcoming the abovenoted difficulties. In accordance with the present invention, this is accomplished by metering a desired quantity of a film-forming liquid onto the upper portion of a rotating roll surface, maintaining a continuous film of said liquid extending along the extent of said surface and throughout a segmental arc thereof. Thereafter the film, together with foreign material, is removed from the roll surface.

Additional objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which FIG. 1 portrays diagrammatically one arrangement of equipment which has been satisfactorily employed for practicing the present invention; and

FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate modifications of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1.

In the drawings, a moving web of paper or the like passes partially around a roll 11. Roll 11 may be a paper machine roll or it may be a backing roll of a coating machine or any other type of roll which may require constant or frequent cleaning to keep the surface of the roll free of undesirable foreign material such as wet broke, coating composition, or other miscellaneous matter that would produce undesirable characteristics in the finished paper.

In order to facilitate removal of such miscellaneous or foreign material from the surface of the roll, it is desirable to apply thereto liquid solvent material to loosen the foreign material and, at the same time, it is desirable to avoid undue wetting of the web by such solvent. In accordance with the present invention, both of these objects are achieved by providing a piece of open cell or porous sponge-like material 12 enclosed in a suitable housing. Disposed within or in contact with the sponge-like material is a perforate conduit 14 for uniformly distributing a liquid cleaning material such as water or the like into the sponge-like material at a rate regulated by valve 14a from a suitable source (not shown). The sponge-like material contacts the rotating surface of roll 11 and applies thereon a regulated quantity of liquid which is uniformly distributed onto the rotating roll surface a continuous film extending along the entire extent of the roll.

A doctor 16 is spaced apart from the sponge-like material 12 in the direction of rotation of roll 11 and functions to maintain a film 15 of the liquid solvent uniformly distributed along the face of roll 11 between doctor 16 and he sponge-like material. Concomitantly the doctor removes from said surface the film of liquid containing said foreign material and causes the liquid containing said material to overflow at the ends of the roll. This overflow liquid is collected and removed by any convenient means (not shown).

The apparatus of the invention as illustrated and described has been found to be very satisfactory and effective for cleaning the surface of roll 11 and removing foreign material therefrom. Additionally, due to the relative movement between the surface of roll 11 and sponge-like material 12, the sponge-like material exerts a scrubbing action which is very effective in cleaning the surface of the roll. Unexpectedly, the film 15 remains in contact with the surface of roll 11 at surface speeds ranging, for example, up to about 3,500 feet per minute on a 36-inch diameter roll even though, it can be shown, that a drop of liquid traveling at such speed on the roll surface is subjected to an acceleration many times that of gravity. It is believed that use of apparatus of the present invention results in the cooperative combination of cohesive and adhesive forces of the thin continuous film of the liquid with the forces resulting from a change in the momentum of said liquid which oppose the centrifugal force resulting from said rotation.

In the modification illustrated in FIG. 2, the uppermost edge of docotr 16 is disposed adjacent to and/or may be connected to housing 13.

The modification illustrated in FIG. 3 differs from the embodiment of FIG. 2 in that the lower edge of doctor 16 is not in contact with the roll surface but is closely spaced therewith. The cleaning action of the spongelike material 12, solvent film 15 and doctor 16 is substantially, as described above, in connection with the foregoing embodiments. Additionally, if desired, conduit 14 may be disposed outside housing 13 with its perforations in registry with openings in housing 13 and directed inwardly toward sponge-like material 12.

As used herein, the term sponge-like includes resilient materials such as open celled porous polyurethane, foam rubber, real sponge and the like. It is desirable, although not essential, that such sponge-like material be somewhat resistant to abrasion to withstand the rubbing engagement with the roll surface.

While particular embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the invention, and it is intended in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications that fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for cleaning the surface of a rotating roll wherein said surface is moving at speeds ranging from about 250 to and including about 3,500 feet per minute comprising in combination means forming and uniformly distributing a continuous film of film-forming liquid on said moving surface,

means supplying said film-forming liquid to said forming means at a rate and in sufficient quantity to form said continuous film of desired thickness on said moving surface for loosening foreign material carried thereon, and

means simultaneously removing said foreign material and said film from said surface at a location spaced apart from said forming and distributing means, preventing movement of said film into a nip formed between said surface and another moving surface, wherein said forming and distributing means includes perforate conduit means connected to said supply means and uniformly delivering said liquid into the interior of open-celled cellular and sponge-like material positioned adjacent and in rubbing engagement with said surface and extending lengthwise relative to said roll. 2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said cellular and sponge-like material is polyurethane.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said cellular and sponge-like material is sponge rubber.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said cellular and sponge-like material is real sponge. 

1. Apparatus for cleaning the surface of a rotating roll wherein said surface is moving at speeds ranging from about 250 to and including about 3,500 feet per minute comprising in combination means forming and uniformly distributing a continuous film of film-forming liquid on said moving surface, means supplying said film-forming liquid to said forming means at a rate and in sufficient quantity to form said continuous film of desired thickness on said moving surface for loosening foreign material carried thereon, and means simultaneously removing said foreign material and said film from said surface at a location spaced apart from said forming and distributing means preventing movement of said film into a nip formed between said surface and another moving surface, wherein said forming and distributing means includes perforate conduit means connected to said supply means and uniformly delivering said liquid into the interior of open-celled cellular and sponge-like material positioned adjacent and in rubbing engagement with said surface and extending lengthwise relative to said roll.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said cellular and sponge-like material is polyurethane.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said cellular and sponge-like material is sponge rubber.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said cellular and sponge-like material is real sponge. 